Is Verizon carrying a Torch for BlackBerry?

A source, working at a Verizon store, has sent us photographs of a poster that allegedly shows Big Red's version of the BlackBerry Torch. Unfortunately, the Verizon name or logo is nowhere on the poster, but we have reported that a version of the handset is expected to come to the carrier early this year.

The BlackBerry Torch is currently available in the U.S. exclusively through AT&T which had been counting on the device to pick up some of the business that the carrier thought it might lose to Verizon once the latter was able to offer the Apple iPhone 4. The Torch also introduced the BlackBerry OS 6 and a new WebKit based browser to BlackBerry users. RIM was hoping that the Torch would be a handset that could compete with Apple's touchscreen device and with Android handsets. However, plagued by a display with resolution that was considered acceptable two years ago, sales never took off.

RIM is currently working on a BlackBerry Torch 2 with an improved VGA screen and a blazing fast 1.2GHz single-core processor. It is not clear if the version of the Torch possibly heading to Verizon will be the sequel model of the Torch.,

Thanks, Jonathan Z!

This poster apparently shows the Verizon variant of the BlackBerry Torch

12 Comments

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RIM just doesn't seem to get it why lock devices to to stupid exclusivity deals? Even Apple realized already that there's more potential success if they make their devices available to more than one carrier, look at Samsung and the galaxy phones translated to huge success even with crappy support, plus no manufacturer seems to get any privileged spot from any carrier besides Apple, hate to say it though

2.JeffdaBeat (unregistered)

I feel like companies have been doing that to create demand. It's basically telling the customers, "Hey, I'm making a phone for your network and your network ONLY. This is special just for you." They think people are more likely to buy if it's presented this way instead of being a phone anyone can get on any network. But the problem is, folks aren't going to just want a phone that's exclusive anymore because lots of phones are exclusive. MOST phones are exclusive because the carrier requests certain specs out of the phone itself.

Samsung did a fine job releasing the Galaxy S on all networks, but it was still exclusive in some regard. This is the biggest reason I wish all networks used the same technology and phones came preloaded to work on all frequencies. I could just buy the phone I wanted to pick a network instead of going through this exclusive crap...

Well you basically want the European model which I think is good problem is American consumers aren't likely to spend $500 + for a device, that means Americans are more likely to take carriers conditions

more people can afford that in europe because of income equality. here in the states you no longer have a middle class. youve got a 1% minority of wealthy elite that make over a million a year and the rest of us that just barley can afford to pay bills, feed our kids, and fill our gas tank. this minority makes more than 400 million americans combined.... and they dont pay as high of a tax percentage either. also you got companys like GE, bank of america, exxon mobile, and such that dont pay any taxes but together gross more than 50 billion a year.... they dont pay any taxes.....none.... as a matter of fact our tax dollars go to them in rebates come tax time. does that make any sense? no. its because the tax laws are written by these corporations lawyers.... we need to do something about that first and then maybe we can go into the europian model of phone industry.

It is not just RIM that is deluding itself about exclusivity.... I imagine Moto is wondering about the wisdom of exclusivity of the Atrix. At one point an argument could be made about the cost of making different editions of the same handset to support the different frequencies, but no more with the multi-mode radio chipsets.

The atrix is a good example, wonder what would've happen if it was released for T mobile as well, would the 4G problems be present as well? but been exclusive, ATT or people would blame the manufacturer for not delivering what the device promised.

While gossip is fun, at this point it is almost useless until RIM put itself out there next week with official news and plans. I trust the specs, those have been fairly consistent for a while. But unless some of the Verizon/AT&T employees who post on here have some solid info, Blackberry leaks have been coming for weeks without any real solid when or where information.

Besides, on Phone Arena's "upcoming" tab under Sprint phones, hasn't there been a Torch style slider listed forever? Still not on Sprint. So, still we wait....

12.dandirk (unregistered)

imho... The ONLY 2 reasons for exclusive phones..

1. Technology: It is more expensive to have both radio types

2. The most important... Carriers pay for exclusives, plain and simple. Phone makers would never limit phone sales just to drive demand higher. Cause while it technically may work, it is still hard to translate to sales due to switching provider costs and hassle. The "exclusive" factor does help sales enough unless you hit a iphone marketing grand slam (which would take years to cultivate like apple has).

The carriers are the ones that pay extra for exclusive devices, they must be a good deal for phone makers cause otherwise they wouldn't do it.

If I were to guess, it is a bird in the hand situation... Though phone makers may make more $ offering to various carriers, the exclusive deals it guaranteed money to help with dev.

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